Syraxian Savages

Created by Brett Hegr
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The Syrax (pronounced see-racks) are a race of beings that were once active participants in the early government structures of the Three Galaxies. They had formed a peaceful and properous empire based on honor and justice. Over a hundred worlds were willing members of the Syraxian Protectorate, and many more wanted to join. Their sciences were nearly equal in sophistication to the feared Dominators^tm. The cause of the end of the Syraxian's dominance and sentiences can all be attributed to one race of beings: the Gene-Splicers^tm. A group of Gene-Splicers^tm had captured a colonization ship holding eight thousand syraxians. They were interested in the syraxian's apparent genetic superiority to other races and wanted a large group of test subjects. The Syraxian Protectorate caught wind of the fate of their people and sent a massive military response.

They managed to disable two of the five Gene-Splicer^tm ships (the others escaped) and recovered three thousand of their people. They were horrified to find that only 10% were untainted by the Gene-Splicers^tm twisted science. This only strengthened their resolve and the syraxians hunted the other three ships for the next five years, capturing a third ship. This third ship was a Trojan horse, booby-trapped with a self-destruct device of unimaginable magnitude that obliterated one of the solar systems under the syraxian's protection. This was not the end of the Gene-Splicers^tm revenge - only the beginning. They became angry and set to work on an everlasting revenge, using the syraxians they still held captive and tailoring a disease that would affect only syraxian physiology. This disease eroded the mental faculties of syraxians and turned them into savage sub-sentient barbarians.

Allowing a planetary base to be captured, the Gene-Splicers^tm had infected the one thousand syraxians there with an incomplete airborne disease. Final revenge would come later in one soft blow. The syraxians found the base and one thousand syraxians who were for some reason perfectly fine. The Gene-Splicers^tm had not altered them in any way. Taking these people home, the syraxian rapidly became infected with the disease over a two year period. Then, in one of their few overt moves, the Gene-Splicers^tm sent a message to all civilized worlds notifying them of the syraxians' demise as a sentient race. The syraxians scoffed at this, laughing as they could plainly see they were alive and well and unaware of a small probe penetrating the atmosphere of Syrax Prime and plowing into the ocean. This probe carried a hydrochemical that would activate the airborne disease.

Within a matter of weeks the Syraxian Protectorate crumbled, as their leaders fell victim to an animalistic nature. They became unable to think sentiently, and the disease was accurately dubbed "The Degeneration." The worlds under their protection began being plundered and ravaged as hostile empires made a scramble for the vulnerable worlds. Revenge complete, the Gene-Splicers^tm became even more feared than ever and reveled in the magnitude of the destruction they had wrought. They even kept a few hundred of their victims captive, as their guard dogs, private soldiers, and pets.

Syraxian Savages are brutal, warlike, and agressive. They congregate in groups of 20-30 on whatever world they live on. The social structure is very similar to those of the apes of Earth. They will attack anyone, animals and people alike, who trespass on their territory (except Gene-Splicers^tm and their minions). If their attack party is beaten or killed, the rest of the group will give the winners a wide berth and take passive-aggressive actions. This includes attempts to frighten, theft of equipment, annoying acts of unintelligent sabotage, and similar methods. There are several research groups in the Three Galaxies who have taken to studying the savages as one would animals. They can be found on several remote worlds on the outskirts of the Transgalactic Empire in the forests, mountains, and ruins of cities as well as under the control of Gene-Splicers^tm.

Syraxians are a tall race with sky blue skins and four arms. One pair of arms is at shoulder level, just below the head, while the second pair (strong as the first) are just above waist level. Their hands have three fingers and one thumb. Covering their back, sides of their arms and legs, and top of the head down the neck are millions of freckle sized spots that range in color from a wood brown to an inky black. They stand seven to eight feet tall, but most hunch over in a hunting crouch. Syraxians weigh in around 210+3d4x10 lbs. Their faces were similar in structure to those of the Uteni^tm (see Phase World^tm) but they had small toothless mouths and eyes either silver, yellow, or white in color.

Alignment: Considered an animal, so savages have no alignment. Before the Gene-Splicers^tm, the vast majority of these beings were of a good alignment.
Attributes:

Before the disease - I.Q.: 2d6+12, M.E.: 3d6+8, M.A.: 3d6+8, P.S.: 4d6+2, P.P.: 3d6+3, P.E.: 3d6+8, P.B.: 3d6+4, Spd.: 4d6+10

After the disease - I.Q.: 2d4, M.E.: 2d6+2, M.A.: 2d6, P.S.: 4d6+10, P.P.: 3d6, P.E.: 3d6+6, P.B.: 2d6+2, Spd.: 6d6+20
Attributes for either type are considered supernatural.

M.D.C.^tm: Equal to 2d4x10+280, plus 3d6 per additional level of experience.

Hit Points, S.D.C.^tm, and A.R.: Hit points are equal to the P.E. times two, plus 3d6 per additional level of experience. S.D.C.^tm is equal to 1d6x10+190. They have an A.R. of 8.

Horror Factor: 8 for one savage, 12 for a group of four or so, and 16 for a war party of eight to ten members.

Permanent P.P.E.^tm Base: 3d6+17

I.S.P.^tm: M.E. plus 20, plus 1d6+1 per additional level of experience.

Natural Abilities: Regenerate 1d6 points of damage per five minutes (1d6x10+10 per hour), nightvision for 60ft, see the invisible, and are fire and cold resistant (half damage). They also posess either psionic powers or random super abilities.

Vulnerabilities: None.

Magic Knowledge: None. Pre-Degeneration, about 8% of the syraxian population practiced magic. These syraxians had only minor psionic abilities, never major/master abilities or super abilities. Syraxian mages get a bonus of +20 P.P.E.^tm.

Psionic Powers: Abilities are limited to four from one minor category, saves as a minor psionic. Before the transformation all syraxians were minor psionics, 20% of the population posessed major psionic abilities, and 8% more were master psychics. Master psychics could be Phase Mystics^tm, Mind Melters, or Mind Bleeders^tm with a bonus of +20 I.S.P.^tm.

Super Abilities: Pre-transformation syraxians had a 15% chance of posessing some degree of super abilities. After the disease, an amazing 45% have them. Any syraxian posessing super abilities does not have psionic powers. Super powered Syraxians can choose two additional minor super abilities, except energy expulsion powers.

Cybernetics/Bionics: Before the degeneration only 4% of syraxians submitted themselves to bionic reconstruction, M.O.M. conversion, and Juicer conversion. They were never big on artificial augmentation, even though their technology caused few side effects.

Average Level of Experience(NPC): 1d4 if a savage, 1d4+2 if a normal syraxian.

Combat Skills & Attacks Per Melee: Before the Degeneration combat skills were gained only by O.C.C., and all syraxians had one extra attack per melee and a +2 bonus to parry. After the disease syraxians became warlike and agressive and posess the following bonuses & abilities: Natural combat ability equal to hand to hand Expert, two additional attacks per melee, +2 to initiative, +4 to strike, +1 to parry and dodge, and +2 to roll with punch,fall, or impact.

Bonuses: All syraxians have a +1 on perception, a +2 to save vs magic and psionics, impervious to posession, and a +2 vs Horror Factor.

Avaliable O.C.C.s: None for those after the transformation because they are automatically Syraxian Savages (see below). The extremely rare uninfected syraxian could be just about any magic, Phase World^tm, CAF equivalent, Men at Arms, or Scholars and Adventurers O.C.C. from the Rifts® main book. There were a lot of dimension hopping Syraxian cyber knights, temporal wizards, metamages, and Phase Mystics^tm while the Syraxian Protectorate was active. Non-infected characters would probably be dimensional travelers coming home to find their people's empire destroyed over 1000 years ago.

R.C.C. Skills for the Syraxian Savage:

Language: Choose one
Prowl (+25%)
Climb (+10%)
Swim (+10%)
Identify Plants & Fruits (+5%)
Tracking (+5%)
Hunting (+5%)
Wilderness Survival
Choose two W.P.s
Natural combat ability equal to Hand to Hand: Expert

Secondary Skills: None whatsoever. Guns are fired wild and if a savage is piloting a vehicle it will surely end in a wrecked heap. The concept of technology is beyond savages.

Average Life Span: 100 years for savages. Non-infected syraxians live for three to five hundred years.

Natural Habitat: Temperate forests, tropical jungles, plains, and mountains regions.

Allies: Only the Gene-Splicers^tm, their masters.

Enemies: Anything that moves.

Standard Equipment: Few have re-learned the ability to use tools.

Money: None. Savages don't use or need it.

The Degeneration

The disease that afflicted the syraxians was a virus that bonded to the bodies of the Syrax. It released transformative agents into all cells of the body, which responded to the chemicals by genetically altering themselves - gene therapy turned into a weapon. The virus had to be ingested to take effect - the probe lauched into the ocean carried a hydrochemical that bonded with the water. The water then evaporated and rained down on the landmasses to become part of the water cycle, and part of the syraxians once they drank that water. Once in the body it activated the airborne part of the disease, which then ran its course. Even syraxians who hadn't been to Syrax since the hydrochemical infection were affected. Transient syraxians from the homeworld brought the sickness with them and infected the others, by way of their urine being filtered by the waste water recycling system present on all syraxian vessels. The filtration system could not detect or remove the disease.

The disease had an exposure limitation of 2d4 months and has since died off on the syraxian homeworld. It now lives only in the bodies of the syraxians. A normal syraxian would not be infected by a syraxian Savage unless he drank water recycled from the savage's waste. A cure for the disease cannot be made, only a vaccine as it is genetic in nature. Gene therapy could restore up to 50% of a syraxian's normalcy but no race has undertaken the task. A child concieved by two Syraxian Savages is not infected with the disease until the third month of the pregnancy and if removed from the mother before this time the child would grow up without a trace of the disease. It will still be vulnerable to it. The disease was such that syraxian doctors and geneticists could not find a cure in the few weeks' time they had to work with before they underwent the degeneration. Given at least a decade scientists could create a viable vaccine.

There are several unfounded rumors that a large group of syraxians escaped the Degeneration. One such rumor is that a warship got lost to a rift during a battle with the Gene-Splicers^tm. Another is that a secret group of scientists began work on a cure on an off-world colony. Still another, is that a group of syraxians from another dimension heard of the fate that befell their brethren and have avoided all contact with the races of the Three Galaxies^tm. The last common rumor is probably the most likely - several vessels of syraxian colonists are still in cryosleep awaiting their arrival to several uncharted star systems in the outer reaches of the Three Galaxies^tm.